What Is Folkmoot?

The conception for Folkmoot came in 1983 when a local surgeon, Dr Clinton Border, accompanied a local clogging club to a folk festival in Sidmouth, England. Dr Border was convinced that Western North Carolina, already steeped in tradition and dedicated to the preservation of its own heritage, was the perfect location for an international folk festival. He believed something invaluable occurs when cultures rich in tradition come together. Dr Border assembled a large group of like-minded business people from the area to contribute the seed money to start such a festival, the likes of which had never been seen by most inhabitants of this area.

The first international festival was held in 1984. For many years, Folkmoot produced one of the largest and longest-running international dance and music festivals in the United States, drawing thousands of visitors to Haywood County from around the country. Hundreds of groups applied to participate in this annual event, with as many as 350 dancers taking part on the Folkmoot stages every year.

In 2014, Haywood County Public Schools sold the decommissioned Hazelwood Elementary School building to Folkmoot. As the building sits on the site of one of the first single-room schools in the area, it seemed a perfect fit to house the headquarters of an organization steeped in tradition, culture, and history. From 2014-2021, the building served to house and provide meals to the hundreds of festival participants from around the globe.

With mounting complications and fees to secure foreign dance troupes, the annual festival turned to domestic dance troupes that remained true to their international heritage and culture. These troupes brought their traditions to Main Street, Waynesville. The pandemic from 2020-2022, coupled with dwindling community donations, brought further hurdles to the festival. As the internet can bring dancers from the corners of the globe to our desktop and more than half of Americans own passports, the attraction of foreign dancers has somewhat waned, making it difficult to support a week-long festival.

Today, Folkmoot has evolved into a vibrant, year-round cultural center and creative hub for Western North Carolina. The historic building now hosts artists’ studios, live performances, workshops, and community events that celebrate both global traditions and local creativity. Folkmoot remains dedicated to fostering cultural exchange, supporting the arts, and bringing people together through shared experiences. Even as the world changes, the spirit of connection and understanding at the heart of Folkmoot continues to thrive.